The Kassandra Prophecy
by Megilwen
Summary: Four teenagers attend Hogwarts, each with their own secret. Their arrival changes the ties of the Golden Trio...possibly for the better. Multiple OCs, nonslash.
1. Descendents of the Prophetess Kassandra

Author's Note: This is a story that some friends and I started writing our junior year of High School, we are now in college. The other main coauthor, A4B4, is not actually posting stories on fanfiction as of yet…but she might. She is also my editor for this story. As she is going to the naval academy, my story is not her priority…glares at editor, at least I feel they should not be as I want her to come home from the naval academy and not be killed by early mornings because she didn't do to hot in her classes. Anyways the story begins in the Golden Trios fourth year at Hogwarts and hopefully we'll write to the seventh year and maybe further.

Disclaimer: I DO NOT own any of the rights to Harry Potter…though I do own any OCs that appear in the story…mainly Lucy, Alanna, Laura, and Michael.

The Kassandra Prophecy

Chapter 1: The Descendents of the Prophetess Kassandra and the Great Merlyn

"Happy Birthday, Lucy!" came the yells of her friends through Lucy DeWitt's unconscious thoughts causing her to wake up. "Just five more minutes," she groaned as she rolled over in her sleeping bag that was situated on the floor of her family's living room.

"It's your only fourteenth birthday and all you can care about is sleep." laughed her friend Laura Turner.

"Well, it's your fault for playing with that stupid karaoke machine all night," mumbled Lucy into her pillow. She knew that her attempts to go back to sleep were futile when she heard the rest of the girls head into the kitchen for breakfast. If she didn't get up in the next five minutes, one of them would come back with a more vicious endeavor to roll her out of her sleeping bag. Sighing, she decided to cut her losses and, after arranging her pillow, headed towards the noise coming from a few rooms down the hallway. As she made her way to join her friends she glanced at herself in a full length mirror. She took in her shoulder length auburn hair, blue eyes, and medium build with amusement. She didn't look any different now that she was fourteen. With a last look at her freckled nose she joined her best friends at the table.

Lucy entered the kitchen to find her friends already around the dinning table. 'All but one, where is Laura?' thought Lucy. Just then she heard "Duck!" from behind her and instinctively followed the order. Laura came right over her head with a plate full of chocolate chip pancakes, a favorite treat among the group, for the table full of girls.

"You did that on purpose," cried an indignant Lucy.

"Maybe," smirked Laura as she proceeded to stuff her face with a piece of sausage.

Laura was shorter than Lucy by about 2 inches, which made it all that more dangerous for Lucy's head in the past few moments. She had brown hair, brown eyes, and fair skin as well, though unlike Lucy she had no freckles and was able to tan a little bit.

Lucy joined the girls at the table, and a rowdy conversation started about all the pre-birthday activities that had occurred the night before. The chocolate chip pancakes were passed all around the table and were soon gone.

"Hey Lucy. Could you pass the fruit please?"

Lucy looked to see who was speaking and saw her friend Alanna Youngblood sitting on the other end of the table. Her toned form she got from swimming was showing through her aqua blue, cotton pajamas as she directed her famous puppy dog look at Lucy.

"How could I resist that face?" laughed Lucy and passed the bowl down the table. The other occupants at the table included Emily Smith, the great thespian, and Laura Keith, the sarcastic one of the group. The girls continued to devour their breakfast, and the last bit of toast disappeared just as the front door bell rang.

"Lucy it's for you." Called her mom from the front of the house.

"Coming." She replied as she stood and walked to the front door.

The person who had rang the doorbell stood in the hall with a package in his hands.

"I'm likin' the pajamas, Lucy." Said her friend Michael Bradley as he pointed, moving his finger in a circle to indicate the light blue pajama pants and top which included cute little stars and moons.

"Oh, yeah," replied Lucy as she leaned against the door frame.

Michael just gave his best smile, slipped past her, and made his way through the dinning room towards the noisy kitchen. Just before he disappeared around the corner, he called over his shoulder, "I think that a Mickey Mouse sorcerer's hat would match perfectly".

"Ah, what wit," sighed Lucy, as she closed the door and joined her friends back at the kitchen table. Michael had set her gift on one end on the table along with the others and had now started a playful arm wrestling match with Alanna. The sad thing was that it seemed that Alanna was winning, who was a crowd favorite if the cheers were anything to go by. After a solid minute or two it was obvious that Michael's Hispanic charm wasn't going to get him out of this one when his wrist was forced to the table top. His knuckles followed soon after. A loud roar went up from the girls as Alanna stood up a performed a mock curtsy.

"That was so rigged," cried Michael in an indignant voice, "How was I supposed to concentrate with all that noise?"

Alanna laughed and sank into the chair next to him, "Well, Michael, _that_ is what every man wants to know." All the other girls giggled knowingly. Michael just sat there, shaking his head, proclaiming that the day scientists found the answer of the universe would come much quicker than the day that man began to understand women.

"It's good that you accept that fact now," said Laura Turner with a solemn face, "Knowing this simple fact will save you great heart ache in the years to come."

"You know what I see in your years to come? A failed career as a fortune cookie writer because that was just awful," Michael shot back.

Laura raced around the table to show him just what she thought of that comment, but he was too quick and had jumped into the living room before Laura could reach his chair. That didn't deter her as she raced straight into the living room after him. The other girls just sighed, picked up the presents, and followed the pair. This feud had been going on for years.

The situation was finally handled when Laura was put on one side of Alanna on the couch while Michael sat next to Lucy on the floor.

"Hurry up with the presents!" cried Emily

"Such impatience," said Lucy as she grabbed an elaborately wrapped green and blue flowered package.

Inside the box was a book, since all her friends knew Lucy's favorite pastime was reading it seem like the appropriate gift.

Lucy thanked Miranda for giving her a copy of _Mists of Avalon_. She wanted to read it ever since she became interested in the old legends.

She then opened her other gifts. There was a copy of her favorite moviesome other books, money, jewelry, and other such gifts from her family and friends.

"Here's my gift." Said Michael as her handed her the small package he had brought.

Lucy accepted it with a small smile and began to unwrap it. It was a small rectangular jewelry box. Lucy felt slightly embarrassed at the sight. True, she and Michael had taken a slight interest in each other. They had been friends for years after all, but they hadn't even started dating yet. What was he doing giving a gift like this to someone that you're just talking to, especially in front of all her friends! Taking a deep breath, Lucy opened the box and it all out in a whoosh, her face turning bright red. Inside there was a pen and pencil set. One of the gold colored ones that you had to twist before you could write with them.

"What's wrong," cried Michael, "Did I get something wrong?"

"No, no," Lucy closed the box while trying to hide her embarrassment about what she thought was in the box, "It is perfectly suitable."

"I always see you searching for a pen in class and thought that you could use your very own set," Michael shrugged his shoulders.

All the girls giggled slightly behind their hands. What a guy gift!

Right up until about noon the girls all lounged around in their pajamas, talking and watching a movie. At eleven they went upstairs to change into some more public appropriate clothing, joined Michael back by the front door, and left for a local Italian restaurant. When everyone was following the waiter to their table, Alanna peeled off from the group claiming she needed head to the ladies room. She joined the rest of the group and ordered her usual. Loud conversation soon followed and Alanna's absence was revealed when the waiters came to the table with free ice cream and a song for the birthday girl. After the whole group sang happy birthday, they paid their bill and split different ways to go home.

Lucy and Michael decided to head back to her house, after all he did live just a few doors down. They had already plopped down on the living room couch when they heard the front door bell ring. Lucy's mom must have answered it because she heard her mom's voice calling to her from the hallway.

"Lucy there is someone at the door for you."

"Laura must have left her toothbrush here or something," mumbled Lucy

"That would be like her, making you bring it to her at the door instead of just getting it herself," replied Michael as he followed Lucy. He was prepared to make Laura pay. He had just sat down after a long walk after all!

Lost in his thoughts of revenge, Michael was completely surprised when he saw an old man standing in the doorway.

"Yes." said Lucy, the confusion in her voice told Michael that he wasn't the only one who didn't know who this person was.

"Hello, Lucy DeWitt, I presume." said the strangely dressed stranger who was complete with a long white beard and blue eyes that seemed to sparkle behind his half-moon spectacles.

"I am said person." Lucy replied.

"Well if that is true, then I have something of great importance to discuss with you."

"Um, okay." Lucy hesitated and shot a questioning glance at Michael who shrugged in reply, "Would you like to come in and sit in the living room to discuss this?"

"Yes, thank you." said the old man as he stepped into the indicated room.

Lucy silently followed and took a seat next to Michael's.

"You may want to call your parents as this requires their attention to." said the man after he sat down.

Lucy dutifully got back up and went to get her parents who returned with her and sat down together on another couch.

"First of all let me introduce myself. My name is Albus Dumbledore and I'm the headmaster at a very selective school located in England. I came here to ask if you would like to return there with me to attend this school. And because England is so far away from your home here in Texas, the school is prepared to pay for all your expenses."

"What's the name of this school? Is it like some kind of pre-Oxford?" asked Lucy's dad.

"You could see it as such, but it's more of a school for the gifted." replied Dumbledore. "This situation is quite a first. Typically our students at Hogwarts enroll at the young age of eleven, but due to some extraneous circumstances, Lucy," he indicated the girl with one of his ringed fingers, "was unable to receive her acceptance letter.

"My staff is currently working on the answer as to why we just found you and three others in this general area."

"What kind of school is this where the staff from another country comes to "find" its students. I haven't enrolled Lucy in any type of college search program," declared Lucy's father.

"You are quite right, Dumbledore smiled, "Let me explain myself. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry searches for children that have a potential for magic. We bring them to this school in hopes of developing this potential to prepare them for the magical community."

"Magic? Like spells and incantations?" asked Lucy's mom with surprise.

"Well, yes, but there is so many more branches of study than that." replied Dumbledore.

"There's no such thing as magic. It's just all a tale that is told to keep young children entertained."

"Mrs. DeWitt, magic is very much real. You just chose not to see it when it is right in front of you." Dumbledore reached into a hidden pocket in his outrageous clothes and pulled out a cylindrical, wooden stick that was about a foot and a half long.

With a flick of his wrist the couch containing Lucy's mom and dad began to hover an inch or two in the air.

Lucy's mom let out a squeal at this surprise and immediately removed herself from the piece of furniture that had suddenly brought all her perceptions about the world crashing to a halt.

"Wow, I could learn to do that? That is so awesome…I mean mom are you ok?" Lucy quickly corrected her manner.

Lucy's dad had readily followed his wife, and they now stood facing Dumbledore, his arm protectively around her shoulder.

"I think you have proven your point, sir, but where do we go from here?"

"Lucy would come and stay at Hogwarts where my competent staff and myself will train her to fulfill her potential.

"When would we see her again?" asked Lucy's mom wasn't sure if she was ready for her only daughter to go away from home at such an early age.

"All students are permitted home during Christmas and summer break, but in Lucy's case I think that we are going to have to make an exception."

"What do you mean?" demanded her father.

"As I have said before, it has taken a few years to locate Lucy and a few others in this area, and students at Hogwarts start their schooling when the turn eleven. All the students of Lucy's age have already had three years of lessons. In order to accommodate this situation, I request that she be permitted to arrive at school grounds as soon as possible. This way she will be able to join her own year mates at the start of term." Dumbledore said this whole speech in a very calming and soothing voice. Lucy saw the effect of that tone when her parents seemed to relax. Even she felt more confident about the proposal than we she first meet this man at the door.

Lucy turned her attention from her parents to Dumbledore.

"Okay, so when should I arrive?"

Michael, who had been silent throughout this entire exchange even when the couch suddenly defied gravity, softly demanded, "Are you that ready to leave your friends behind?"

"Don't be silly, Michael. I'll be home at Christmas"

Michael just shook his head, not soothed at all by Lucy's attempt at comfort.

Hearing how Lucy addressed the boy next to her, Dumbledore shifted his attention to him. "Might your last name be Bradley?

"Yes" Michael was extremely shocked at how this stranger would know his name.

"Well how fortunate," Dumbledore said, seemingly to himself, "Well, Mr. Bradley I wouldn't be so downcast about separating from Miss DeWitt because you are one of the three others that I have been for which I have been searching."

Dumbledore chuckled at the mixture of emotions that were crossing Michael's face and his in ability to form the questions flashing through his mind. "Yes, you both will be quite welcome."

"Why would they be so welcomed?" asked Lucy's mom who had accepted her daughter's new schooling situation.

"Mrs. DeWitt your daughter and her friend Michael are extremely special people. Once they are trained they will no doubt be a _very_ powerful witch and wizard. Just like their ancestors no doubt." replied Dumbledore.

"Our ancestors?" repeated Lucy.

Dumbledore paused and smiled, "Michael you are the descendant of Merlyn himself, while Lucy you are the descendent of an ancient prophetess, and I have no doubt that once you are trained you will be just as powerful as she was."

"What was the prophetess's name?" asked Lucy already guessing the answer as she picked up her new copy of _The Firebrand_ from off the coffee table where she had left it. Lucy stared at the picture on the front cover.

"Her name was Princess Kassandra of Troy."


	2. Chapter 2: Old Acquaintances and New Beg

Wow! It's been a long time since the first update. I'm really sorry about that, but when we got to the second chapter it was decided that it needed to be re-written. The new re-written chapter got left accidentally on the computer that A4B4 had to return once the spring semester was out. But now the second chapter is finished and we're starting on the third...which will have to be re-written partly too. Again sorry. But hopefully this one will be out faster, though I'm taking summer semester one and A4B4 has summer reviews...BUT we won't let that slow us down...at least not too much ;). Anyways thanks to Conventina and SamGamgee for being the first reviewers! Hope you enjoy!

Chapter 2: Old Acquaintances and New Beginnings

"What!" exclaimed Alanna, "I'm sorry, but could you say that last bit again, please?" It was just a day after Lucy's abrupt encounter with that man called Dumbledore, and she was visiting Alanna's house for lunch. Laura, as usual, was running a little late, so Lucy had begun to tell Alanna her incredulous story and would catch Laura up when she arrived.

"Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry," Lucy complied.

"Oh right! So what kind of a joke are you pulling this time?"

Lucy just gave an exasperated sigh as she looked her friend straight in the eyes.

"You really aren't joking." Alanna's voice was barely above a whisper. Lucy smiled and shook her head.

"Wow" Alanna gave a deep sigh of her own, "And you say that Michael is going with you?"

"Yep, Dumbledore said that he was the decedent of Merlin himself," Lucy affirmed the statement.

"Well, I can't see where he would get an idea like that," declared Alanna, "but yours makes perfect sense." Alanna picked up a stack of plates and headed towards the patio. Lucy followed her with the silverware, "What's that supposed to mean?" She began to follow Alanna around the table and place the silverware in their proper places on the table. Alanna paused and looked back at Lucy, "Well, think about it. Among other creepy things, you always know when the phone is going to ring a second before it does."

"You know?" Lucy said, "I asked Dumbledore about that. He said that strong magic will manifest itself in witches and wizards slightly even before they are old enough to attend school."

"My point is proven." said Alanna.

"What point are you trying to prove now?"

A woman in her early forties had appeared from the kitchen with a bowl of chips in one hand and a bowl of chili-cheese dip in the other.

"Oh, hey mom." Alanna greeted her mother, "I was just trying to tell Lucy that Michael is showing an interest in her, and she proved my point by completely denying it" Alanna easily covered up their prior conversation. 'A little too easily' Lucy thought.

Alanna's mom set her load on the table, walked over, and wrapped an arm around her daughter.

"Just to let you know, I approve of this Bradley boy. He held the door open for me and took my groceries to the car when I was at the store today."

Alanna rolled her eyes at Lucy which clearly stated her opinion of her mother's straightforward antics, a trait that was passed right on from the mother to the daughter no matter how much Alanna denied it. Standing as they were, Lucy could see many more similarities between the two. Both were of the same height and build, but it was their eyes that marked them as mother and daughter.

Both pairs were of a deep soulful brown, but Alanna's had an edge that her mother's didn't. Whenever Alanna focused her full attention on a person, her eyes seemed to bore into their soul. Lucy had been on the receiving end of that stare a few times, and it still made her jittery.

The women sat down to lunch and had just started on the hamburgers when a loud bang was heard from the front of the house followed by an echoing, "Hello?"

"We're outside," Alanna yelled, and soon after Laura's head popped through the doorway followed by the rest of her.

"Oh, man. I am starving. This looks great Mrs. Youngblood."

"Why, thank you," Alanna's mom chuckled at Laura as she plopped down into a chair and grabbed every dish within reach.

The meal passed with talk of everyone's weekends, and playful arguments kept them at the table long after the last of the homemade cookies disappeared. Alanna's mom finally declared that she had to wash the dishes before she ran a few errands and left the girls to their own devices.

Lucy had noticed that Laura had been acting differently during the meal. Her comments seemed to have alternate meanings, and she laughed as though she harbored a big secret.

"Hey, Laura. What's going on with you today?"

"Let's just say that I won't be able to come with you guys to the beach in a few weeks."

Lucy stared at her friend in complete bewilderment and mentally examined her friend's statement for a few seconds before a realization dawned on her.

"He said there would be to more," she whispered.

"What are you talking about?" Alanna asked, and Laura's brow was burrowed in confusion.

Lucy answered both of their questions by asking one of her own to Laura, "Did a peculiar old man pay you a visit last night?"

Startled with this turn in conversation and the allusion to Lucy's story, Alanna whipped her head to look at Laura, shocked. Was she going to lose both of her friends?

Laura on the other hand just looked deflated. Lucy apparently knew about their big secret, and that took all the fun out telling it.

"A man with a white beard by the name of Dumbledore?"

"The very same."

"It seems I'm not the only one he visited." Laura said with a grin, "What's your story?"

"I tell you mine, you tell me yours?" Lucy asked.

Laura nodded her head in agreement, and Lucy began retelling her tale for her friend and ending with a statement about her and Michael's heritage.

"That's quite a story," Laura said after a moments pause. Then she grinned her trademark trickster grin, "Let's see if I can top it."

Alanna was a little more than doubtful that Laura could win her bet. Nevertheless every bet required an outside observer to fairly declare a winner, so she leaned forward in her seat as Laura began her story.

Laura had been lying on her bed, wonder yet again, as all teenagers do at some point, how she could possible be part of her family.

_How could they care about me_, she thought to herself_, they don't even listen. If they had listened, then they would have known about Hurley_.

Laura's cocker spaniel, Hurley, had been acting strange for about a week. She had begged her parents to get the poor animal looked at after she saw him walk straight into a wall. Her parents didn't believe her and claimed that they could afford that kind of vet bill and had other things to do with their time. They both worked for a local law firm after all. With no success in convincing her parents about the seriousness of the situation, she was forced to monitor Hurley's decline. Her parents were finally convinced that something was wrong when he tried to bite her father's hand when he was dumping food into Hurley's bowl. The family took Hurley to the vet the next day where Hurley was diagnosed with seizures. With a heavy heart the vet told them that the symptoms would only get worse and that it would be in Hurley's best interest if the put him to sleep. With much discussion on the parents' part and many objection on Laura's they decided to follow the vets' advice. Laura was heart broken and refused to speak to her parents on the ride back and went straight up to lie on her bed when they arrived back home. Her parents had begun to argue in the living room and didn't hear when the door bell rang a few minutes later.

Laura sighed and decided that if the visitor ever wanted an answer, then she was going to have to do it. She grudgingly got up from her bed and headed down the hallway to the door.

"May, I help you?"

"Ah, yes. My name is Professor Dumbledore, and I am looking for a Laura Turner."

The old stranger looked at her expectantly, as if he knew exactly who he was talking to.

"That's me," Laura closed the door a little more so that she barely fit in the opening. It was a desperate but failed attempt to hide the chaos occurring within the house.

"Upon seeing the current circumstances," the man paused and spared a glance to the front door, "I should think that it would be better to carry this in another area."

Laura didn't know why she followed the stranger, though she thought I might have been her intense desire to put some distance between her and her family. His manner seemed trustworthy, so she followed him to the bench located in the front yard. The old man set himself set himself down on one end of the bench with a small sigh and waited for Laura to adjust herself on the other side before continuing,

"Now, Miss Turner, I am going to tell you something that might seem ludicrous at first, but I ask for you to hear me through."

"Okay." That was all she could say to such a statement.

He nodded then said, "As I have previously stated, my name is Professor Dumbledore, and I am Headmaster at a school called Witchcraft and Wizardry. The school resides in an area in Europe, and students with special talents are selected to attend. Usually a student is notified of their selection by their eleventh birthday, but it has taken me this long to find you."

"Whoa, whoa. Hold on." Laura held her hands up in front of her face, "You just you have been looking for me to attend a school of magic!"

"Precisely."

"Baring how unbelievably cool that would be, I have no knowledge of anything magical within my family history, and I know that I don't have any powers. Believe me, I've wished for them for years!"

"Ms. Turner, this is where my tale combines with yours." He paused to make sure he had her attention, "The family in this house is not your true family and bears no resemblance to the one awaiting you."

There was a pregnant pause while Laura shook her head in disbelief. She had never felt like a member of her family completely and had always wondered if there was somewhere where she truly fit in. Now it seemed that all her daydreaming had come true without warning. _Doesn't it always happen that way_, she thought wryly to herself. She turned her attention back to Dumbledore,

"What took you so long?"

Dumbledore chuckled and said, "There were very complicated spells hiding you from out sensors. They have just now been dissolved, revealing your presence to us along with three others. I have already spoken to two of them and will speak to the last one tonight. In a weeks time the four of you will be collected to purchase supplies, and then be taken to Hogwarts to receive the instruction you have missed this past three years."

"Do I get to meet my real family?"

"Ah, yes. I have alerted them as well and have arranged for a meeting after you have completed your initial instruction."

"Why not before?" Laura demanded

Dumbledore held up placating hands, "All of that will be revealed to you when you arrive, should you choose to do so."  
"Are you kidding me?" Laura squealed, "Get me outta here!"

Dumbledore smiled at her show of enthusiasm.

"In one week's time. I must be off now. You will have an excellent education at Hogwarts."

"And then he got up, walked down the street, and, I swear to you, disappeared before he turned the corner." Laura finished telling her story, and silence was present at the table for a few minutes.

"This is going to be interesting," Lucy declared a few moments later.

Laura's grin was from ear to ear. With the smile on her face, she turned to Alanna, "So, who had the best story?"

There was a slight pause when Alanna didn't answer. Her eyes remained on the table top as she said, "I think that the two stories are equal."

"What's wrong?" Laura asked.

Alanna's eyes finally rose to look at both girls in the face, "I'm going to miss you guys."

Laura's heart sunk as she realized that, although her dream of having another life had come true, she would be leaving one of her best friends behind.

"Wait," Lucy said after some thought, "The man, Dumbledore, said he was looking for four people." She counted on her fingers, "Laura, Michael, and me. That makes three. There's still a chance that you could come with us."

Alanna just shook her head and smiled, "There is nothing special about swimming fast. That's the only thing that sets me apart. I look almost exactly like my mom, and I have never had any weird quirks that have manifested themselves."

Laura and Lucy were at a loss for an argument, but Alanna saved them from an uncomfortable silence by suddenly standing up, grabbing all the remaining dishes and plates, and heading back into the house.

"You guys better bring back pictures, and I want presents in the summer." She yelled back over her shoulder.

Both girls started giggling, and immediately the gloomy mode vanished. The rest of the afternoon was spent in the living room watching a few movies and playing an intense game of Scrabble in which Laura spelt "emerge" for a triple point score and the win.

The girls said their goodbye's to each other when dusk began to fall, and Alanna promised to meet her friends at the pick-up spot the day of the departure. Alanna watched them until they walked around the corner of the block then returned to the living room couch. She plopped herself down in the middle and began flipping through the channels. Her mom would be home soon with the groceries and they could begin cooking supper.

A half hour later, she heard a rumbling in the driveway. Her mother came through the doorway minutes later with bulging paper bags in her arms and plastic sacks hanging from her elbows.

"A little help here, please." Her mother's disembodied voice came from somewhere behind the bags. Alanna got up, helped take the groceries into the kitchen, and began putting them in their right spots as her mother started boiling pasta for supper.

Both women leaned against the kitchen island with their bowls of fettuccine Alfred and talked about their summer plans. Alanna's fork was midway to her mouth when she heard a loud knock on her front door. Her mom, shooting her a confused look, stood up to answer it.

Alanna finished her pasta and looked in the direction of the door, expecting to hear at the very least the murmuring of hello's, but she just heard dead silence. Curious, she walked down the short hallway to discover her mother standing stock still. She was staring at a man who had a long white beard and spectacles perched on his nose; her hands were still clutching the doorknob. Alanna tried to walk back into the cover of the hallway, but the man had noticed her. His eyes fell past her mother, caught by Alanna's movement, and the spell that held her mother was broken.

"Well, Wendy. She is your daughter," the man spoke.

The smallest of smiles flittered across her mother's face, "Well I should hope so. I would hate to think she got her wit from somewhere else. Come in Albus."

Alanna looked at the man more closely and took in the beard as well as the weird looking clothing and gasped in recognition. This was the same man that had visited Laura and Lucy. What was he doing here…and how did her mom know him?

"Thank you." He stepped through the door, took off his coat, and took in the look on Alanna's face, "It seems my reputation precedes me."

"You're Professor Dumbledore, headmaster of Hogwarts," her tone quickly changed from one of wonder to one of accusing by the end of the statement.

"Alanna," her mother warned, then blinked, "How do you know this man?"

Alanna glared at Dumbledore, then, without a word, turned on her heels and walked back down the hallway, towards the living room. A couple seconds later, they heard her call out, "He's taking my friends back with him!"

Neither of the two adults said a word till Wendy broke the silence, "Is it really that bad Albus, that they need to go to Hogwarts?"

Dumbledore sighed, "It's worse. Harry Potter has been attending the school for the past three years, and each is worse than the last. Voldermort is gaining power, and Sirius came out of hiding this past August to help protect the boy."

"No, Albus, you shouldn't have let him! He'll get caught!"

"He already has been," Dumbledore spoke over her argument, "and in a bizarre accident, he escaped."

Wendy sighed her relief.

"But the other side is amassing its power, and I need to do the same. You know very well that Hogwarts is the safest place for them, especially since something broke through the protection spells, and that it is the best place to develop their talents."

"What about Alanna? You know the added threat," Wendy whispered.

"I will take every precaution to prevent that threat, then she will be able to come back and fulfill her other duties."

"That time is over, and you know it, Albus!" Wendy retorted.

Dumbledore finally looked Wendy in the eyes and saw her reluctance. He took her hands in his.

"Wendy, your role of protector is no longer needed. The children can now be looked after by my staff, and a few of your old friends if I am not mistaken, but Alanna is still going to need your support," Dumbledore chuckled, "especially in the next few minutes."

Wendy looked at Dumbledore for a moment, then sighed and nodded once. They walked together into the living room where Alanna was surfing through the channels on the television in an attempt to ignore them.

"Alanna," her mother called out while situating herself on the coffee table in front of the sofa. Alanna turned her attention from the screen to her mother, but said nothing. It seemed as if her mother had sided with the stranger. Well, if that was the case, then her mother was going to have to start the conversation because she didn't feel like talking to her very much. Her mother saw the thought on her daughter's face and grew exasperated,

"Oh stop it, Alanna. He isn't taking your friends away from you," she paused and said quietly, "You're going with him, too."

"What?" The shook that she was feeling made her breath disappear.

Her mother rested her chin on her fists as she contemplated her next statement. She glanced up at Dumbledore, who had positioned himself by the arm of the sofa, before beginning.

"There is something that I should have told you a long time ago. I was just looking for the right time," she chuckled, "I guess now is as good a time as any."

Alanna just blinked and tried to think of anything that her mother could possibly tell her that warranted this type of introduction. Nothing could've ever prepared her for her mother's next sentence.

"We are selkies." She paused and looked into her daughter's face to judge the reaction. After seeing no look of recognition, she decided to continue, "Selkies are said to be mythical creatures that live in the sea in the form of a seal and can take human form from time to time by removing their seal skin. It is also said that no one can catch them because as soon as they even think they sense something, they put on their skins again and flee to the ocean."

Dumbledore chuckled at this statement. "But those reports are only half right. Selkies do not belong to either form more than the other. Sometimes a few individuals choose to live the majority of their life in human form rather than seal. That is how I met you're mother."

"That's right." Wendy agreed, "I was wandering around before Dumbledore found me and invited me to attend his school."

"Wait!" Alanna exclaimed, holding up her hands, "You've been to this Hogwarts?"

"Yes, I have," her mother replied, "And had some of the best times in my life. I made friends their almost instantly and wasn't so bad in the academic area if I don't say so myself."

"One of the brightest pupils of her time." Dumbledore agreed.

Wendy smiled at the complement then turned to her daughter, "Now, what questions do you have for me. Hopefully I will have the answers you need."

Alanna though for a few moments, "So is this why I am so good at swimming?"

"Yes, selkies have always had a natural affinity to the water."

"Do I have my own…skin?" Alanna asked with a definite tone of disgust.

Her mother threw her head back with the force of her laugh, "Yes, but don't think of it like that. It's a pelt for a lack of a better word, but not from a dead animal. You will think differently when you see it, but for now I will keep it where it is. You are a bit young to use it as of right now."

Alanna nodded and thought for a bit more. Then, taking everything in stride, turned to Dumbledore and asked, "So am I leaving with everyone else?"

Dumbledore smiled, she was as strong as her mother, "Yes, everyone needs to be caught up in their lessons in order to be able to start the next year with their own age."

They talked about a few more arrangements and discussed Wendy's years at Hogwarts a little more before Dumbledore took his leave. Alanna's mother, seeing what time it was, exclaimed that she was going to bed in order to get a little sleep before work tomorrow. Alanna followed her head and, before she drifted to sleep, she smiled, imagining the look on her friends faces when she met them this time next week.


	3. Shopping!

Howdy! It's back! Sorry for the long wait again, with school and stuff its hard to find the time to edit, write, etc. No I don't own anything except for Laura, Alanna, Michael, and Lucy. Thanks to Conventia and light goddess1493 for the reviews. Hope you enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter 3: Shopping!

It was early, too early in the morning. Laura, who was never a morning person, stood sullenly in a clearing in the woods at the local city park. The sun had just risen, lighting the sky up with pale yellows, oranges, and reds. Michael stood there in a rare moment of silent companionship with Laura, as they both glared at Lucy and Alanna. They were both chatting away much too happily and much too loudly. There was even occasional cackle-like laughter from Alanna as Lucy re-accounted her morning of mishaps. Laura looked out of the corner of her eye at Michael,

"So do you want to shoot them, or should I?"

"I would normally give you the pleasure, but we're going to need Lucy's notes, and Alanna has her good moments," replied Michael.

Laura heaved a sigh, "Sadly, your right. It would be a waste of my dangerously low energy right now." Michael just nodded.

On the other side of the clearing, Lucy and Alanna were talking about Dumbledore's late night arrival at the Youngblood's.

"I can't believe that you didn't call me right then!" cried Lucy.

"I wanted to surprise you. How cool was it when you saw me walking up?"

"Actually, I thought that you were seeing us off, and then I saw that you were smiling for once. I always know what that means."

Alanna laughed, "You just wish you had this dazzling smile."

"Who would want those buck teeth?" Lucy shot back.

Alanna gave an indignant cry and proceeded to poke Lucy mercilessly in the side with her fingers.

"I take it back! I take it back!" Lucy's cries were muffled by her attempt to get away from the attack, but Alanna relented anyway, allowing Lucy to catch her breath. After a few short gasps, Lucy asked, "So do you know who is picking us up?"

"No," Alanna glanced over to where her mother was standing, "but mom wasn't too keen on the name when Dumbledore told her."

"What was it?"

Alanna scrunched up her face as she tried to remember, "It sounded kind of like 'snap'…I think."

"Hmm." Lucy was at a loss as she followed Alanna's gaze towards the children's parents.

The new witches and wizard's families stood off together talking lightly, as if afraid to much noise would cause problems. Alanna's mom and dad stood talking with Laura's "parents". The conversation looked to be forced, as they two pairs were nothing alike. 'It looks like all of them look like having their teeth pulled would have been better.' Alanna thought amused. The Youngblood's seemed more relaxed in their blue jeans and shirts, while the Turner's seemed to be overcompensating by wearing their suits and had their briefcases sitting directly beside them. The conversation between Lucy and Michael's parents was more relaxed as they had been neighbors for the past several years. Lucy glanced at her brother's and had to grin. Both were wearing twin expressions of fatigue and boredom and sat in the grass, grumpily glaring at their parents as if demanding when they were going to leave.

Precisely at the appointed time, a slight 'popping' noise sounded in the air, announcing the arrival of a tall, pale man with shoulder length, greasy hair, a hooked nose, and wearing long black robes. He had a very unpleasant sneer on his face, making it plainly obvious that he did not wish for the job of escorting the four teenagers to get their school supplies.

The girls and Michael split from their conversations, or brooding in Laura's case, and walked over to their respective families who had also stopped their conversations to take in this man's quite sudden appearance

"Misses DeWitt, Youngblood, Weasley, and Mr. Bradley I presume." said the man as he closed the distance between himself and the group. The children nodded their responses.

"I'm Professor Snape, the potions master and the Slytherin head of house at Hogwarts. Though it would seem that some you are already aware of this fact." The man said with not very kind look at Alanna's mother.

"Well hello Severus," greeted Alanna's mom with a big smile of her own, "I'm glad to see that you have spent the last few decades in gainful employment"

Alanna looked curiously at each of her friends in turn, what did her mother mean by that?

"Well, at least I wasn't afraid to work in the open." Replied Severus, snidely. "Now where are your trunks?"

The four friends silently pointed over to four trunks that were stacked one on top of the other.

Snape pulled his wand from a pocket within his robes, pointed it at the trunks, and said "_Subvectionis Hogwarts_." The trunks vanished from sight.

"Whoa! Where did they go?" asked Laura, her eyes wide, reflecting the thoughts of the other three youth.

"I have transported your trunks to Hogwarts where they will be put into your rooms and we don't have to drag them around with us."

Snape removed a box from his pocket and opened it. Inside was a clear green stone. "Now everyone touch to the stone and we can get started."

"Why, what does the stone do?" asked Laura.

Snape sent a glare at Laura, "Touch the stone, all of you!"

Everyone jumped to do as they were bid as Snape added one of his fingers to the stone. As soon as Snape touched the stone, everyone felt a sharp tug behind their navels as if a fishing hook had a hold of them, and they were pulled along by what they would later find out was a port-key.

When they appeared at their destination, no one except Snape was able to keep their feet and remain standing when they landed, which was demonstrated as the four teenagers landed in a small heap all around him.

"Oh, ow." Muttered Alanna as Michael rolled off of her.

"Man, I'm so sorry," he said as he gave her a hand up.

Laura looked up with a scowl that matched Snape's and debated on whether or not she should push him over and help him into the pile. Just as she came to the decision that it was worth it, Lucy stopped her hand.

"You probably don't want to do that. He's going to be one of the teachers for our quick learning during this summer, not to mention our teacher during the year. Getting on his bad side would probably be the worst idea possible," whispered Lucy fiercely as she pulled Laura to her feet with a friendly hand.

"Bad side," whispered Laura back, "this guy doesn't even look like he has a good side."

Lucy let out a poorly concealed laugh behind her hand, which caught Alanna's attention who sent them a curious stare.

"Follow me." Said Snape as he began to leave the room where they landed and out into what appeared to be a bar.

The four curiously looked around the room. The bar had an old toothless barkeep at the far end talking with some customers. They were all dressed much in the same way as Snape, complete with robes and wands within their reach. Several of the tables were filled with other customers who were discussing or gossiping about different things, which ever happened to be the case. Several of the customers were staring back at the teenagers just as curiously. Lucy took note of the clock hanging on the wall above the bar. It read twelve o'clock, which totaled a six-hour time difference from the time at home.

'I wonder,' thought Lucy, 'will we still get jet lag even though we didn't fly here?'

"What is this placed called?" asked Laura to Snape who was leading them out toward the back of the building.

"The Leaky Cauldron." Said Snape tersely. "A wizarding bar and one of the entry ways to Diagon Alley, where we will be shopping for all your supplies."

'Diagon?' Alanna mouthed to Michael who shrugged that he didn't have a clue.

Snape lead the four out into a walled in area behind the bar. It looked just like a small stone courtyard. They stood their silently watching as Snape pulled his wand from his pocket and silently tapped several of the bricks in a certain order, causing the wall to fold away forming an entrance into a completely foreign world.

"Cool!" exclaimed Laura, "Um, could you do that again, but more slowly this time."

Snape's shoulders tensed as he turned, "Are you going to be asking questions all day?" he ground out.

"Probably." Said Laura without hesitation.

"I can already tell that we will not be getting along." Stated Snape, looking at Laura with cold eyes. He then turned to the rest of the group and explained, "First of all we shall go a purchase your school books. Follow me quickly. I have far better things to be doing today."

They all followed Snape down a little lane to a store called Flourish and Blotts. During the short walk, the teenagers gazed at their surroundings with intense fascination. Men and Women were walking from shop to shop which were displaying the strangest. _'Did I just hear someone complain about pixies destroying a rose garden?'_ Laura thought to her self as she took in the sites. What the group didn't notice was that the surrounding wizards and witches who were also staring at the four strangely dressed teenagers with much fascination.

If the Hogwarts students were anything like their adult counterparts, Lucy could tell that Hogwarts was going to have to get ready for a change, for better or for worse with the arrival of the four Americans. For starters, they were not giving up their own clothing style. Laura wore green cargo pants and a black shirt that had a picture of Good Charlotte on the front and finally to top it of a pair of black Converse with flames painted on the toes of her shoes.

Alanna on the other had was the total opposite of Laura. She wore a black jagged edged skirt with a white sleeveless collared shirt and a pair of black Old-Navy flip-flops. Lucy had tried to warn her that it was colder in England during July, but Alanna insisted on wearing the flip-flops along with the other less-than-warm clothing.

Michael wore a pair of jeans and a Texas A&M t-shirt. He was trying to go for that "normal" look, though, here in wizarding England, it stuck out like a sore thumb.

Lucy wore a pair of hip-hugger jeans with a long sleeve, off the shoulder, pink and white striped shirt. She had been the only one of the four to take into account the temperature change that had been sure to occur, though she, like the other three, stood out among the wizards and witches in their robes. Not so much when she compared their clothes with that of the other teenaged witches and wizards, who were running around the alley, but still enough to cause plenty of people to do a double take. Some even began to mutter and whisper behind their hands when they saw who the four children's escort was.

Snape walked up the brick steps leading into the store, which on many occasions would turn out to be one of Lucy and Alanna's favorite stores to visit in their later Hogwarts days. As he opened the door and impatiently waited for the four to enter behind him, a small bell rang though out the store. Immediately a tall, thin wizard in dark blue robes with a small crest denoting that he worked in the store appeared.

"Good afternoon Professor Snape. How may I help you today?"

"I need four copies of each of _The Standard Book of Spells (Grade 1, 2, 3, and 4), A History of Magic, Magical Theory, A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, Intermediate Transfiguration, One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, Magical Drafts and Potions, Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, and The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self-Protection_," the four started to stare at each other, wide eyed, as the titles kept coming, "Two copies of _The Monster Book of Monsters, A Beginner's Guide to Arithmatic Equation, Functions, and Their Uses, The Languages of the World: B.C. to the Middle Ages, _and _Unfogging the Future; _and one copy of _An Extensive Guide to Muggles and Their Technology._" Replied Snape handing the clerk the list of books he needed to purchase. The clerk hurried off to pull the books Snape had asked for.

"Well isn't this going to be an exciting summer," Laura muttered to Alanna who laughed at the defeated look that was now making itself know in Laura's face.

Lucy, who couldn't help wondering off in such an enormous bookstore, began to walk down the aisles, browsing the titles and looking to see if there was anything interesting she would like to read. She had heard from Alanna's mom that Hogwarts had an immense library and she hoped that she could find some interesting reads in there, though due to the fact that she had to try and cram three years of teaching into two months, she doubted she would have time for pleasure reading until the real term started _'If then.'_ She thought.

A book caught her eye as she scanned, Legends of the Prophetess, a dark green book with leather binding and silver lettering. She reached up and pulled the book from its spot. On the front of the book, she saw a strange symbol. It looked like a trident stuck on top of two mirror images of a treble cleft sign crossing over the two outer spikes of the trident. Curious, she reached out and traced her finger along the strange silver symbol. '_Weird_,' she thought. As she touched it, she felt an attraction to the book, as if the book was calling to her, and she began to open it.

"Hey Lucy!" came Michael's voice from further up the aisle. Lucy turned to his voice. "Come on, we've got our books. Let's go."

Lucy turned, slightly disappointed, and gingerly placed the book back in its place on the shelves before walking back the way she came. She rejoined the little group just as Snape finished paying for their purchases.

Next, they headed to the Apothecary. As Snape opened the door, a strange smell wafted over them. Laura completely scrunched up her face as she expressed just how bad she felt the smell was, sending Alanna into a fit of giggles.

"Good afternoon Professor Snape." Came a soft voice, from the man who had suddenly appeared beside them. "How may I be of service?"

"I need to purchase four student sets of potions ingredients, four sets of crystal vials, and the items on this list. The list of ingredients is for Hogwarts' and my own personal stocks and should be sent directly to Hogwarts."

"Of course Professor." Replied the man before he vanished to retrieve the items that Snape requested.

Soon enough the man returned, and Snape purchased their ingredients and vials. Again, Snape swept the group outside and across the street to another store where they purchased their cauldrons, scales, and telescopes. They went into another store and purchased their quills, ink, and parchment. All of the purchases were placed under a shrinking spell and placed with the rest of their purchases into the bag that the four took turns carrying. Luckily, along with a shrinking charm, Snape also put on a weightless charm so the bag barely weighed more than a feather.

Next, Snape led them to an old, shabby shop with the words 'Ollivanders: Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.' in faded gold letters above the door.

"Before we enter, Mr. Ollivander has been told of your circumstances as it will help him to find the wand that would most likely match to you. No one else, besides the professors of Hogwarts knows your information. When the school year begins it will be up to you whether or not you inform anyone else of what you are."

With that information, Snape opened the old, paint chipped door, and a faint tinkling sound rang through out the store. An old man appeared from the dark recesses of the back of the shop.

"Ah, Severus Snape. So nice to see you again, my boy. It's been a long time since I've seen you. Ten and half inches, oak, Dragon Heart String, how has your wand been treating you? Fine. Good. Now which of you four shall we start with." said Mr. Ollivander in an old reedy voice. "Miss Weasley, why don't we start with you?" He turned too quickly away from the four teenagers to be able to see the amazed looks on the four faces. When he turned back around, he held a long tape measure. "Now which is your wand arm?"

"I'm left-handed." Replied Laura.

Ollivander took a few quick measurements before he turned to the shelves, which left no space on the wall they uncovered and were filled with thousand of long thin boxes that each held a wand. He pulled out a box, opened it, removed the wand, and carefully handed it to Laura.

"Olive, Dragon Heart String, thirteen and a half inches."

Laura gave the wand a wave only to have it snatched quickly from her hand and be replaced with another, which was likely waved and disposed of.

"Here," said Mr. Ollivander, "this is a new type of wand that I'm trying, after all for some reason metamorphmagi, like you, often have problems with the traditional types of wands. They seem very clumsy. This is Mahogany, eleven inches, and powdered dragon scales."

Laura gave the wand a wave. Blue, green, black, and gold, sparks exploded out of the wand in a shower.

Ollivander clapped his hands together. "Oh very good! Now, how about you, Miss Youngblood?"

After the quick measurement with the tape and the fact that Alanna was right handed, Ollivander began to search among the multitudes of boxes for the one that would contain Alanna's perfect wand.

"Here try this wand, willow, ten and three quarter's inches, and unicorn hair."

Alanna gave it a wave.

"No, no, how about this..." and just like Laura it took several tries before...

"White beech, twelve and a quarter inches, with unicorn hair."

Alanna gave it a wave and several white lovebirds shot out the end.

"Very good, very good!"

Alanna watched the birds fly freely around the room, until Snape waved his wand and was able to get rid of all the flying. She turned, completely affronted, to glare at him, a glare that he ignored completely.

"And you, Mr. Bradley."

Like Alanna, Michael was right handed. Again, it took several tries before the right wand found Michael.

"Ebony, powdered unicorn horn, and twelve and a quarter inches. Such a strange combination hasn't been seen since Merlyn had something of that sort. Though I believe he later transferred his wand's power into a staff that he liked to carry around. I think he put the powdered unicorn horn into a round, glass globe which he fixed atop the staff.

"Now to find you a wand Miss DeWitt. It won't be as hard to find you a wand as most prophets and prophetesses keep to the Phoenix feather wands. I believe it's because phoenixes have extremely long life spans so that they live to see the future. I suspect that the feathers help to enhance their seeing abilities."

"I'm right-handed too." Said Lucy replying automatically to the question that each of the previous three had been asked.

Ollivander brought out several wands with phoenix feathers before they found the right one.

"...white oak, thirteen and a half inches, phoenix tail feather."

As soon as she touched the wand, her eyes became unfocused and dull.

"She must be a powerful seer to be able to go into an immediate trance like that." said Ollivander in awe.

"_An imposter shall give the element for the Dark Lord's regeneration and his followers shall flock to his side. They will bring the war to the founder's doorstep where all shall be decided." _Said Lucy in a far-away voice.

Lucy collapsed in a faint as soon as she had stopped speaking. Michael barely caught her before she hit the ground.

"Lucy...Lucy..." came a familiar voice through the Lucy's unconscious mind.

Slowly she regained consciousness.

"What happened?" she asked in a slightly disoriented way.

"You just gave your first prophecy." replied Michael.

Lucy looked up from where her head was rested in his lap. "What did I say?"

"An imposter shall give the element for the Dark Lord's regeneration and his followers shall flock to his side. They will bring the war to the founder's doorstep where all shall be decided." replied Snape who had a thoughtful look on his face.

"The Dark Lord, you mean Voldemort right. But who is the imposter and where is the founder's doorstep." asked Lucy

"Please, don't say that name." said Ollivander.

Snape seemed to snap out of his thoughts.

"Come we must finish our shopping." He said with no further discussion of the incident.

Snape paid for the wands and then led the four back into Diagon Alley.

From there they went to Madam Malkin's and fitted for there school and dress robes in a whirl wind of activity. Michael found a fashionable pair of black dress robes. They bore a strange resemblance to his Hogwarts robes except these were made of a finer material. Alanna had eventually found a dress that was long and white with red rose embroidery that wove around the dress. It also had a couple of red, ruffled under layers that were revealed when Alanna connected the white layer to her finger with a silver ring. The dress' straps were two sashes that crisscrossed around her neck. Laura found a spaghetti-strapped, hunter green dress that was elegant in its simplicity. It seemed to leave everything to the imagination, but still gave subtle hints here and there. Lucy found a dress of satin fabric that clung to her curves and flared ever so slightly at her hips. The fabric flowed to the floor where it pooled at her feet in a small train, and the off-the-shoulder sleeves hung to her fingertips.

They were just about to leave the store when the door opened and a tall man with long blond hair walked in followed by smaller version of him.

"Ah, Severus, I never thought I'd see the day when you were forced to escort muggles around Diagon Alley. I feel extreme pity for you." Said the taller of blood haired men with a sneer.

"Lucius, Draco." Greeted Snape with a nod of his head. "I'm just doing my job."

"I never realized Mudblood escort was part of your job description."

"It normally isn't Lucius, but none of the other Professors could be spared for this dismal duty. So Dumbledore assigned it to me." Replied Snape, the strain of his voice told of his waning patience.

"How very unfortunate. They look very unfortunate too, which I guess is the reason for the escort." Sneered Lucius, looking at the four teenagers.

Laura opened her mouth to protest such a statement, and Michael quickly covered her mouth with his hand.

"They are new transfer fourth years from America," lied Snape smoothly, "as they are not familiar with Diagon Alley, they needed an escort to retrieve their school supplies."

"It seems a little early to be shopping for fourth year supplies." Said Lucius suspiciously.

"That's what I tried to explain to Dumbledore but he didn't want to listen to reason, so here I am."

"Ah, well Dumbledore has never been very intelligent when it came to certain matters, especially muggles. Well, I'll let you get back to your distasteful task." Snape spat.

"Good to see you again Lucius." Said Snape as he left the shop followed by the four. Michael had to drag Laura out and still had his hand over her mouth to prevent anything unfortunate from slipping out.

As Lucy and Alanna passed they both caught Lucius watching them with curious look on his face as if he didn't quite believe Snape's story. The look caused both of them to let out a slight shiver.

Michael let go of Laura's mouth when they were in the clear with a loud 'ew'. Laura had stuck out her tongue causing Michael to release her.

"That's gross Laura!" he exclaimed as he wiped his spit-covered hand on Laura's sleeve.

"Michael!" squealed Laura, "Don't wipe your hand on me."

"Why not," replied Michael, "it is _your _spit after all."

"So?" inquired Laura.

Michael let out an exasperated sigh. Lucy and Alanna were laughing at the two, and Snape had already started out down the Alley. The four had to run quickly to catch up and follow Snape into a very odd-looking shop.

"Hogwarts will not be buying your pet, but Dumbledore informed your parents of this opportunity. They each sent him some Muggle money, and he had the money transferred into Wizarding Coins." Snape handed each of the four a bag filled with some coins. "This money is for you to purchase a pet, or, if you choose not to buy a pet, you can use the money on any Hogsmeade trips that you choose to attend."

"What's Hogsmeade?" asked Laura automatically.

Snape's lips curled up in a sneer before he walked away towards the counter.

"What'd I say?' Laura asked her friends who all just shook their heads and turned to go search the shelves for their perfect pet. Lucy walked silently through the store, scanning the names as she already had her cat.

"Lucy!" came Alanna's excited voice from within the shelves.

"Alanna!" Lucy mocked as she walked over to join he friend.

"Aren't they CUTE." Whispered Alanna as she looked into a wire cage that was taking up a lot of space in the aisle.

"They look like ferrets." Stated Lucy, unimpressed.

"They're Jarveys." Said Alanna while pointing to the nameplate under the cage.

A pure white Jarvey walked up to the cage and stood on it's back legs looking straight into Alanna's eyes. Brown eyes meet brown eyes before the Jarvey opened its mouth and uttered "Cute!"

Alanna let out a surprised laugh.

"That one's coming back with me." Declared Alanna before she left to go find the storekeeper.

Lucy smiled and wondered off down the aisle, and saw that Laura was a few rows down starring into a cage of dog like animals called Crups. She continued until she came along to another cage filled with what looked like large balls of fur called Puffskeins. Lucy continued reading the nameplate about the Puffskeins. As she read further down the description, a large grin began to spread across her face.

"Alanna!" called Lucy.

This time it was Alanna's turn at mocking as she came down the aisle with the white Jarvey in her arms.

"Read this." Said Lucy pointing to the sign.

Alanna read the sign with a similar smile.

They both grinned at each other before calling, "Laura!"

"What?" asked Laura as she joined them in the aisle.

"This is just what you would want." Said Lucy pointing at the glass case.

"Puffskein," read Laura aloud, "great wizarding pet that has no objections to being tossed about and is easy to feed. The puffskein will eat almost anything, but particularly likes to stick its tongue up the noses of sleeping wizards and eat their boogies."

Laura stopped reading. "That's awesome!" she exclaimed as she turned and walked back to the front counter to get the witch there and paid for the red and cream haired puffskein.

Meanwhile, Michael, ever the more efficient minded of the group, had chosen a brown owl with a white face that he named Athena. Michael offered her mail delivering services to the other three if she was not already out delivering something else.

With the addition of Leo the ferret and Fuzz the puffskein, the group left the store to head to their last stop, Quality Quidditch Supplies.

"Hey Lucy," said Michael as they walked, "where's your pet?"

"Right here," she replied as she reached into her bag that had been hanging off her shoulder and pulled out a black wad of fur.

"You've had a cat in there this whole time? Is he alive?" asked Michael jokingly as he gave Lucy's cat a slight poke.

The cat lifted its head and bit at him.

"Serves you right, Midnight doesn't like to be poked."

Lucy tucked Midnight back into his place and entered the Quidditch store behind Snape.

"Man, I hate that cat." Michael muttered before he entered the store.

"How can I help you misses and sirs?" asked the storekeeper at the counter.

"I'm here to pick up the four Firebolts Professor Dumbledore ordered." Replied Snape.

"Yes, of course, right away sir."

The storekeeper vanished into the back of the store. When he returned with the four brooms, he placed them on the counter. Snape paid for them and then left the store. Once they were in the street again, Snape turned to the four.

"Here," said Snape as he handed a broom to each of the friends, "The Heads of Houses all decided together that Hogwarts would purchase you brooms."

They all stared at the brooms in their hands.

"This is so cool." Whispered Laura.

"Thanks." Said Alanna and Lucy at the same time. Alanna turned to Laura and smirking said, "So witches really do ride brooms."

"We've purchased everything that is needed for your classes." Snape declared, "Now, let us return to Hogwarts." Said Snape. He led them back out of Diagon ally and into another room of the Leaky Cauldron before he held out another box. It was much the same as the first, though this one had a crest emblazoned on the top. The crest would become very familiar after attending Hogwarts for the next four years. Everyone placed a hand on the box and felt the yank behind the naval again as the five people vanished from Diagon Alley.


End file.
